1. Field
This invention relates generally to audio data, more specifically, to a system and method of enhancing the listening experience in the presence of multiple audio data directed toward a single audio output device.
2. Related Art
The telephone has been used for person-to-person communications since its inception. New usages emerged in the early 1970's in which users could use the telephone to communicate with machines and automated systems to obtain information such as the time of day, or location and business hours of a merchant. Other more sophisticated usages include call center applications, particularly those empowered by Interactive Voice Response (IVR) technologies. Such applications ranges from auto-attendant, pin code authentication, merchandise ordering, ticket reservation, to complex class registration and financial transactions.
However, due to the sequential nature of conversational communications, using a phone call to navigate large amounts of information and perform complex transactions is inefficient, awkward, and often error prone.
Integration of data communication into telephone usage helps to improve efficiency and to reduce complexity of information presented to a user. Such integration, nevertheless, presents a new challenge. Multiple audio data sources targeting the phone's audio output device may render the overall audio signals unintelligible. For example, audio data playing loud background music may drown out a phone conversation. In another example, the total amplitude of the multiple audio data may exceed the listening tolerance level of a user.
The foregoing illustrates a need to enhance the listening experience for a user when there are multiple audio data directed toward a single audio output device.